Wildlife: Staten Island abounds with animals that are rare or absent in other New York City boroughs

View full sizeStaten Island AdvanceA deer visits the back yard of a home in Annadale. As Staten Island's deer population increases, so do the animals' interactions with humans.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island has long been considered the wildest borough of New York City, and we’re not just talking politics or night life. With more natural land than the other boroughs and far fewer people, the Island saw many of its animal species survive here long after they were wiped out in the emerging metropolis. Remnants of our early, wilder days – harbor seals, raccoons and, deer – still call Staten Island home and sometimes live in close proximity with their human neighbors.

Here’s a partial accounting of Island wildlife:

DEER: According to early 20th century Staten Island historians Leng and Davis, the bones of this animal were the most common type found among Native American remains. Records from 1679 state “game of all kinds was plentiful, 25 and 30 deer were sometimes seen in a herd.”

Thought to have been wiped out by the 1800s, whitetail deer have made a strong comeback in recent years. Today the Staten Island herd is thought to number in the dozens. Sightings are most common in open areas on the West Shore. Deer live in the edges of woodlands but feed in open areas. As the deer have flourished here, the number of interactions with the Island's human residents has increased. Deer have grown bolder, visiting residential neighborhoods and raiding gardens. There have also been several instances of deer being struck by automobiles.

View full sizeStaten Island AdvanceWild turkeys stop traffic as they strut across Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze.TURKEYS: First spotted in Ocean Breeze a few years ago, the wild birds, protected by state law, have now quickly spread across southeastern Staten Island, often serving as traffic hazards.

Family-oriented, wild turkeys travel in flocks and are very protective of their young.

Turkeys are mostly herbivores, but they also eat grubs and other insects. They can weigh as much as 40 pounds, and aside from their copious droppings, do not pose any health threats. While the turkeys may come across as quaint and harmless, they can be aggressive and a nuisance. Islanders are discouraged from feeding them or getting too close.

OPOSSUMS: These nocturnal animals are frequent visitors to residential neighborhoods. They are common in all areas of Staten Island. Perhaps because of their pointed snouts and hairless tails, opossums are sometimes mistaken for rats, though they are much larger. Opossums partake of a widely varied diet, including everything from small rodents to earthworms. Opossums should not be approached by humans. They have needle-sharp teeth and can become quite defensive if they feel threatened. They are also capable of carrying rabies. If you see an opossum in a tree during the daytime, the best bet is to just leave the animal alone. As nighttime falls, the opossum will most likely go on its way.R

View full sizeStaten Island AdvanceA red-tailed hawk scans for lunch possibilities from a treetop in Stapleton.ED-TAILED HAWKS: Breeding pairs of these aggressive raptors have started popping up around the Island in recent years. A familiar sight atop utility and light poles, red-tailed hawks feed primarily on rodents. They also can make a meal of a pigeon or a squirrel.

A pair of these birds, which are partner- and site-faithful, was first sighted in Clove Lakes Park in 2006, but these two are far from the only breeding pair on Staten Island.

In 2000, a pair were reported at Wagner College on Grymes Hill, and they’ve also been observed at the Serpentine Commons, Silver Lake Park, at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Livingston, and in Stapleton.

On the other shores, they’ve been seen in Conference House Park in Tottenville, Mount Loretto Unique Area, Pleasant Plains, and the former Fresh Kills Landfill on the West Shore.

BLACK BEAR: Seventeenth-century accounts recorded Gov. Thomas Dongan “being engaged at his hunting lodge on Staten Island, killing bears.” Black bears are common in the woodlands of neighboring New Jersey, but there is little suitable habitat left on Staten Island for the creatures.

View full sizeStaten Island AdvanceA young raccoon peers from a tree in Oakwood Beach. Raccoons appear cute but they can quickly turn vicious. They also can carry rabies. Attempts to catch or touch wild raccoons are discouraged.RACCOONS: Raccoons are common on Staten Island. A rabid raccoon found in Bulls Head in 1992 signaled the first confirmed appearance of the deadly disease in New York City since a rabid dog was found in Brooklyn in 1952. Raccoons quickly become accustomed to humans and can be quite bold. They will rummage in garbage cans that have not been properly secured and can find their way into the attics of houses, where they will den up; they can cause considerable damage.

HARBOR SEALS: These seashore-dwelling mammals were once common in Staten Island waters. Robbin’s Reef off the North Shore is named for them (robyn is the Dutch word for seal). Seals continue to visit the Island periodically. They have been spotted on East Shore beaches and even sunbathing on marina docks in Great Kills Harbor.PORPOISES: According to historians Charles Leng and William Davis, these playful mammals were last sighted in local waters in the wake of a ferry boat in the early 1800s. In recent years, lost porpoises have wandered as close as the New Jersey tributaries of Raritan Bay.

RABBITS: Rabbits thrive in some areas here. Still a fairly common species, cottontails can be found hopping through parks all year round.

COYOTES: Coyotes had not been seen on Staten Island for decades until, in 2012, a truck driver spotted one running in Freshkills Park - the former Fresh Kills landfill. The sighting was confirmed when, some days later, the animal was found dead.

MUSKRATS: They continue to be common denizens of the Island’s marsh areas, and were trapped commercially here for their coats until the 1920s.

MOLES: Common moles can be found throughout the Island, while the star-nosed species is found only in Woodrow. Moles are still burrowing in our borough, since their tunnels are evident in many Island parks.

FOXES: Hunting and riding clubs in the late 19th century hunted these animals, and one is noted in published reports as late as 1893. There was an unconfirmed sighting on the South Shore in recent years.

BEAVER: Beaver are long gone from Staten Island, as is much of their natural habitat. Bones of this mammal were found in Native American fire pits

WOLVES: The gray wolf apparently thrived here as late as the 1600s. Public records in 1681 note rewards doled out for killing wolves, which apparently preyed on farm animals. Wolf remains were found in ancient Lenape fire pits and “Jones’ Wolf Pit” near Bulls Head was a popular area for trapping.

WILDCATS: Records show rewards were offered for their capture in the 1680s, proving that big cats, most likely bobcats, prowled the Island. Long gone from our shores, these nocturnal hunters feasted on rodents and rabbits.

WHALES: Sperm, right and bottle-nose whales were spotted in local waters in the 1800s. A nine-foot-long pygmy sperm whale weighing 850 pounds washed ashore at South Beach in March 1920, and its carcass was purchased by the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Last spring, a humpback whale was spotted offshore of the Island. MASTODONS: These huge, elephant-like prehistoric creatures apparently roamed the Island and other areas of America some 8,000 years ago, and the proof — in the form of the animals’ distinctive molars — was found here two centuries ago. An Islander tonging for oysters in 1894 found some of the extinct animal’s teeth, as did workmen digging 23 feet underground in Moravian Cemetery in 1899.

The Greenbelt Nature Center is an outstanding resource for more information about Staten Island's wildlife and habitat. If you have a non-emergency problem involving a wild animal, call the city's 311 Information Hotline for advice.---Follow @siadvance on Twitter and Facebook